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back to article Boss of classified ad website Backpage.com faces first contempt of Congress in 20 years

The CEO of Craigslist-style classified ad website Backpage.com may be the first person in 20 years to be found in contempt of US Congress. Carl Ferrer was subpoenaed by a Senate subcommittee back in October to answer questions over allegations that his site was responsible for nearly three-quarters of all reported child sex …

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  1. Version 1.0 Silver badge

    Expect more like this

    It's an election year after all - both houses need to look like they've done something - but preferably not with a congressional pageboy.

    11 0 Reply
  2. Roq D. Kasba

    Ladies of easy leisure

    I've no problem with free, adult women making choices, but trafficked and child prostitutes are hideously wrong. At the very least morally he should be working to maintain the healthy line.

    6 1 Reply
    1. x 7
      Reply Icon

      Re: Ladies of easy leisure

      "he should be working to maintain the healthy line."

      do you want to re-word that? It sounds like a plea for eugenics

      1 0 Reply
    2. FreemonSandlewould
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      Re: Ladies of easy leisure

      It's all hog wash. These hyped up charges meant to tarnish by their very utterance.

      1 0 Reply
  3. x 7

    surely though, if there's a case against him then he should be brought to trial, not hauled before a Congress Committee? Whatever you may think of the charges against him, being forced to testify before Congress very much seems like enforced self-incrimination. If he is guilty then he deserves all he gets, but that guilt should be determined in a real court - not before a bunch of politicians

    10 0 Reply
    1. James 51
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      I think the way it works it that they can compel him to attend but all he has to do after that is claim the 5th and get out a crossword puzzle.

      2 0 Reply
  4. Grikath

    Contempt of Congress...

    You mean he's simply voicing what other people think?

    10 0 Reply
  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Contempt of Congress

    Anyone know where the line starts?

    1 0 Reply
    1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken
      Reply Icon

      Re: Contempt of Congress

      Oh, if only there was a way to look up things in the internet...

      https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_congress

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contempt_of_Congress

      http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-contempt-of-congress.htm

      http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/contempt+of+Congress

      1 1 Reply
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Contempt of Congress

        @allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

        Ever suspect you misread the post you replied to?

        12 0 Reply
    2. Solmyr ibn Wali Barad
      Reply Icon

      Re: Contempt of Congress

      Tempting. But I'll pass this round. Wouldn't be wise to state such intent on a visa application, would it.

      0 0 Reply
  6. adfh

    Citing first amendment?

    The First Amendment is the right to free speech.. Did he or you mean fifth - freedom not to self incriminate? ... or am i missing something in the first? ... or is he calling it a protest? :)

    1 0 Reply
    1. Stevie
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      Re: Citing first amendment?

      He's claiming the right to publish what he does under the first amendment, and paradoxically saying that he didn't write the stuff anyway (so presumably it isn't his speech he's talking about) .

      The fifth amendment gets invoked when he is in front of The Do Nothing Congress.

      2 0 Reply
    2. Crazy Operations Guy
      Reply Icon

      Re: Citing first amendment?

      Neither amendment would apply since Congress doesn't have authority over legal matters. But then the guy isn't even bound by anything to even tell the truth. He could just get up there and make fart noises with his mouth the whole time and they couldn't do a damn thing about it.

      Hell, even being "In contempt of Congress" is complete meaningless outside of congress.

      0 0 Reply
      1. Stevie
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        Re: Citing first amendment?

        "But then the guy isn't even bound by anything to even tell the truth. He could just get up there and make fart noises with his mouth the whole time and they couldn't do a damn thing about it."

        Because that approach worked so well when used before HUAC.

        0 0 Reply
      2. I. Aproveofitspendingonspecificprojects
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        Re: Citing first amendment?

        > He could just get up there and make fart noises with his mouth the whole time and they couldn't do a damn thing about it.

        Fancy missing that opportunity. What on earth could he have been doing that was more fun than that?

        0 0 Reply

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